The present invention relates to cardial pacing systems and methods, and, more particularly, to cardial pacing systems which provide for a method for increasing a pacer function of an implantable medical device disposed within a mammalian heart.
Pacemaker systems with rate control have become widely used in the art. Rate control may be provided by employing one or more rate responsive sensors, e.g., sensors which determine a parameter such as a Q-T interval, exercise, etc., from which the desired pacing rate to match the patient""s cardiac""s demand can be determined. Such rate responsive pacemakers preferably contain algorithms for converting the sensed parameters into a pacing rate, e.g., increased activity results in a higher pacing rate. Furthermore, it is known to program certain data relating to pacing rate from an external programmer, e.g., the values of lower rate limit and upper rate limit may be programmed in this manner.
It has been determined that under special circumstances, it is desired to control the pacing rate of an implanted pacemaker in accordance with a special function. That is, a rate or rates which would not otherwise be indicated. For example, it has been determined that in some cases, an increase in the pacing rate of the heart may be required. Furthermore, it is a belief that an immediate increase in the pacing rate of the heart may be problematic for some patients. As a result, the pacing rate of the heart must necessarily be increased in an incremental manner (i.e. a xe2x80x9cgentlexe2x80x9d way of increasing the pacer function).
In Janssens, U.S. Pat. No. 5,944,743, there is disclosed a pacemaker system for enabling special rate control for patients who have specially recognized conditions, e.g. patients who are post-ablation and are best susceptible to bradycardia-dependent ventricular fibrillation or other arrhythmias. However, the disclosure in Janssens does not discuss the increase of a pacer function; rather, it discusses the decrease of a pacer function with regards to a specially recognized condition.
As discussed above, the most pertinent prior art patent is shown in the following table:
The patent listed in Table 1 is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. As those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate readily upon reading the Summary of the Invention, the Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments and the Claims set forth below, many of the devices and methods disclosed in the patent of Table 1 may be modified advantageously by using the teachings of the present invention.
The present invention is therefore directed to providing a method and system for gently increasing the pacing function of a mammalian heart by an implantable medical device. Such a system of the present invention overcomes the problems, disadvantages and limitations of the prior art described above, and provides a more efficient and accurate means of increasing the pacing function of a mammalian heart.
The present invention has certain objects. That is, various embodiments of the present invention provide solutions to one or more problems existing in the prior art respecting the increment of the pace of a mammalian heart. Those problems include, without limitation: the ability to determine when a mammalian heart is required to have a pacing function increased, the ability to increase the heart rate of a mammalian heart, and the ability to increase the heart rate at a programmed rate.
In comparison to known techniques for increasing the pace of a mammalian heart, various embodiments of the present invention may provide the following advantage, inter alia, i.e., inputting an upper pacing limit, inputting an increment factor, inputting a time interval, and increasing the pacing function of a mammalian heart from a lower pacing limit to an upper pacing limit within the time period programmed and according to the increment factor.
Some of the embodiments of the present invention include one or more of the following features: an implantable medical device including a microprocessor, a controller operably connected to the microprocessor and at least one pacing lead operably connected to the controller.
Furthermore, in accordance with the present invention, a method and system for increasing a pacer function of an implantable medical device disposed within a mammalian heart is provided. Generally speaking, the present invention provides pacing the mammalian heart according to a first pacing rate. A command to increase the first pacing rate is then received. Additionally, an upper pacing rate is received. A time interval is then received. Finally, the first pacing rate of the mammalian heart is increased to the second pacing rate during the time interval.